Today, Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-03) released the following statement on the United Steelworkers' petition requesting that the Obama administration take action to address China's extensive use of illegal subsidies to give its clean-energy manufacturers an unfair advantage:

"For the sake of our economy and our national security, America needs to develop clean-energy solutions that drastically reduce its dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels in general. But China's blatant refusal to play by the rules of international trade is making it extraordinarily difficult for American companies to compete in producing everything from solar panels to energy-efficient light bulbs. Plants that should be opening here at home are instead locating in China, taking good jobs with them and perpetuating an all-too-familiar trend that does grave harm to our middle class. Meanwhile, China continues to manipulate the value of its currency to undercut U.S.-made goods. The American people are fed up, and so am I. We need to become energy independent once and for all, not sit back and allow another country to obtain a stranglehold on the energy sources of tomorrow. The only way to change China's behavior and stop the offshoring of American jobs is to take decisive action that levels the playing field. I urge the administration to accept the USW's petition and begin formal proceedings to defend American manufacturers and workers and protect our country's future. Clearly, open-ended and unending negotiations aren't getting the job done."